A preliminary study of gene expression changes in Koalas Infected with Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) and identification of potential biomarkers for KoRV pathogenesis.

Background: Koala retrovirus (KoRV), a major pathogen of koalas, exists in both endogenous (KoRV-A) and exogenous forms (KoRV-A to I and K to M) and causes multiple disease phenotypes, including carcinomas and immunosuppression. However, the direct association between the different KoRV subtypes and carcinogenesis remains unknown. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of koalas carrying both endogenous (KoRV-A) and exogenous (KoRV-A, B, and C) subtypes was performed using a high-throughput RNA-seq approach.

Epidemiology, Transmission Mode, and Pathogenesis of Infection in Koalas (): An Overview.

Chlamydial infections pose a significant threat to koala populations. () remains the major chlamydial species affecting koala health, both in the wild and in captivity, and chlamydial infections are considered important factors affecting the long-term survival of koalas. A clear understanding of chlamydial infections, including the epidemiology, transmission mode, pathogenesis, immune response, control, and prevention thereof, is essential for improving the management of chlamydial infections in koalas.

An effective pan-serotype dengue vaccine and enhanced control strategies could help in reducing the severe dengue burden in Bangladesh-A perspective.

Dengue is an important vector-borne disease occurring globally. Dengue virus (DENV) infection can result in a potentially life-threatening disease. To date, no DENV-specific antiviral treatment is available.

Study of tree shrew biology and models: A booming and prosperous field for biomedical research.

The tree shrew ( ) has long been proposed as a suitable alternative to non-human primates (NHPs) in biomedical and laboratory research due to its close evolutionary relationship with primates. In recent years, significant advances have facilitated tree shrew studies, including the determination of the tree shrew genome, genetic manipulation using spermatogonial stem cells, viral vector-mediated gene delivery, and mapping of the tree shrew brain atlas. However, the limited availability of tree shrews globally remains a substantial challenge in the field.

Investigation of Functional Cytochrome P450 4A Enzymes in Liver and Kidney of Pigs, Cats, Tree Shrews, and Dogs in Comparison with the Metabolic Capacity of Human P450 4A11.

Pigs are sometimes used in preclinical drug metabolism studies, with growing interest, and thus their drug-metabolizing enzymes, including the cytochromes P450 (P450 or CYP; EC 1.14.14.

Recent Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of the Toll-like Receptor Response to Influenza Virus Infection.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a significant global threat to human health. A tightly controlled host immune response is critical to avoid any detrimental effects of IAV infection. It is critical to investigate the association between the response of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and influenza virus.

Novel Tree Shrew Cytochrome P450 2Ds (CYP2D8a and CYP2D8b) Are Functional Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes that Metabolize Bufuralol and Dextromethorphan.

Tree shrews are a nonprimate species used in a range of biomedical studies. Recent genome analysis of tree shrews found that the sequence identities and the numbers of genes of cytochrome P450 (CYP or P450), an important family of drug-metabolizing enzymes, are similar to those of humans. However, tree shrew P450s have not yet been sufficiently identified and analyzed.

Molecular and functional characterization of flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMO1-6) in tree shrews.

Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are a family of important drug oxygenation enzymes that, in humans, consist of five functional enzymes (FMO1-5) and a pseudogene (FMO6P). The tree shrew is a non-rodent primate-like species that is used in various biomedical studies, but its usefulness in drug metabolism research has not yet been investigated. In this study, tree shrew FMO1-6 cDNAs were isolated and characterized by sequence analysis, tissue expression, and metabolic function.

TLR agonists as vaccine adjuvants in the prevention of viral infections: an overview.

Tol-like receptor (TLR) agonists, as potent adjuvants, have gained attention in vaccine research for their ability to enhance immune responses. This study focuses on their application in improving vaccine efficacy against key viral infections, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, and flaviviruses, including West Nile virus, dengue virus, and chikungunya virus. Vaccines are crucial in preventing microbial infections, including viruses, and adjuvants play a vital role in modulating immune responses.

A Novel, Comprehensive A129 Mouse Model for Investigating Dengue Vaccines and Evaluating Pathogenesis.

In search of a mouse model for use in evaluating dengue vaccines, we assessed A129 mice that lacked IFN-α/β receptors, rendering them susceptible to dengue virus (DENV) infection. To our knowledge, no reports have evaluated dengue vaccine efficiency using A129 mice. A129 mice were given a single intraperitoneal (IP) or subcutaneous (SC) injection of the vaccine, Dengvaxia.

Identification of cytochrome P450 2C18 and 2C76 in tree shrews: P450 2C18 effectively oxidizes typical human P450 2C9/2C19 chiral substrates warfarin and omeprazole with less stereoselectivity.

Cytochromes P450 (P450s or CYPs), especially the CYP2C family, are important drug-metabolizing enzymes that play major roles in drug metabolism. Tree shrews, a non-rodent primate-like species, are used in various fields of biomedical research, notably hepatitis virus infection; however, its drug-metabolizing enzymes have not been fully investigated. In this study, tree shrew CYP2C18, CYP2C76a, CYP2C76b, and CYP2C76c cDNAs were identified and contained open reading frames of 489 or 490 amino acids with high sequence identities (70-78 %) to human CYP2Cs.

Effects of neddylation on viral infection: an overview.

Neddylation is a post-translational modification that plays an important role not only in cancer development but also in regulating viral infection and replication. Upregulation of neddylation occurs in viral infections, and inhibition of neddylation can suppress viral replication. Neddylation is thought to enhance viral protein stability and replication.

Investigation of koala retrovirus in captive koalas with pneumonia and comparative analysis of subtype distribution.

This study focused on the involvement of koala retrovirus (KoRV) in pneumonia in koalas. Three deceased pneumonic koalas from a Japanese zoo were examined in this study. Hematological and histopathological findings were assessed, and KoRV proviral DNA loads in the blood and tissues were compared with those of eight other KoRV-infected koalas from different zoos.

Tree shrew cytochrome P450 2E1 is a functional enzyme that metabolises chlorzoxazone and -nitrophenol.

Cytochromes P450 (CYPs or P450s) are important enzymes for drug metabolism. Tree shrews are non-primate animal species used in various fields of biomedical research, including infection (especially hepatitis viruses), depression, and myopia. A recent tree shrew genome analysis indicated that the sequences and the numbers of P450 genes are similar to those of humans; however, P450s have not been adequately identified and analysed in this species.

Suppression of dengue virus replication by the French maritime pine extract Pycnogenol®.

Dengue virus (DENV) is mainly found in the tropics and infects approximately 400 million people annually. However, no clinically available therapeutic agents specific to dengue have been developed. Here, we examined the potential antiviral effects of the French maritime pine extract Pycnogenol® (PYC) against DENV because we previously found that the extract exerts antiviral effects on hepatitis C virus, which belongs to the Flavivirus family.

Development of short hairpin RNA expression vectors targeting the internal ribosomal entry site of the classical swine fever virus genomic RNA.

Background: Classical swine fever (CSF) is a fatal contagious disease affecting pigs caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV). The disease can be transmitted by pigs and wild boars, and it is difficult to prevent and control. To obtain necessary information to establish the CSFV resistant animals in a future study, we designed lentiviral vector-delivered short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting the conserved domain III of the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) of the CSFV genomic RNA.

Molecular insights of a CBP/β-catenin-signaling inhibitor on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-induced liver fibrosis and disorder.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive fibrotic disease associated with an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma; at present, no efficient therapeutic strategy has been established. Herein, we examined the efficacy of PRI-724, a potent inhibitor of CBP/β-catenin signaling, for treating NASH-related liver fibrosis and disorder and characterized its mechanism. Choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD)-fed mice exhibited NASH-induced liver fibrosis that is characterized by steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocellular injury and collagen fibrils.

Toll-like Receptor Response to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 or Co-Infection with Hepatitis B or C Virus: An Overview.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are evolutionarily conserved pattern recognition receptors that play important roles in the early detection of pathogen-associated molecular patterns and shaping innate and adaptive immune responses, which may influence the consequences of infection. Similarly to other viral infections, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) also modulates the host TLR response; therefore, a proper understanding of the response induced by human HIV-1 or co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV), due to the common mode of transmission of these viruses, is essential for understanding HIV-1 pathogenesis during mono- or co-infection with HBV or HCV, as well as for HIV-1 cure strategies. In this review, we discuss the host TLR response during HIV-1 infection and the innate immune evasion mechanisms adopted by HIV-1 for infection establishment.

Newly identified cytochrome P450 3A genes of tree shrews and pigs are expressed and encode functional enzymes.

Novel cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) cDNA in tree shrews (which are non-rodent primate-like species) and pig CYP3A227 cDNA were identified, along with known pig CYP3A22, CYP3A29, and CYP3A46 cDNAs. All five cDNAs contained open reading frames encoding a polypeptide of 503 amino acids that shared high sequence identity (72-78 %) with human CYP3A4 and were more closely related to human CYP3As than rat CYP3As by phylogenetic analysis. CYP3A5 was the only CYP3A in the tree shrew genome, but pig CYP3A genes formed a CYP3A gene cluster in the genomic region corresponding to that of human CYP3A genes.

Regulatory Role of Ribonucleotide Reductase Subunit M2 in Hepatocyte Growth and Pathogenesis of Hepatitis C Virus.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) frequently causes chronic infection in the human liver, which may progress to advanced hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV primarily infects highly differentiated quiescent hepatocytes and can modulate cell cycle-regulatory genes and proliferation pathways, which ultimately contribute to persistent infection and pathogenesis. On the other hand, several studies have shown differential regulation of HCV RNA and viral protein expression levels, depending on the proliferation state of hepatocytes and the phase of the cell cycle.

Newly Identified Tree Shrew 2A13 is Expressed in Liver and Lung and Encodes a Functional Drug-Metabolizing Enzyme Similar to Dog 2A13 and Pig 2A19.

The tree shrew, a non-rodent primate-like species, is used in various fields of biomedical research, including hepatitis virus infection, myopia, depression, and toxicology. Recent genome analysis found that the numbers of cytochrome P450 (P450 or ) genes are similar in tree shrews and humans and their sequence identities are high. Although the P450s are a family of important drug-metabolizing enzymes, they have not yet been fully investigated in tree shrews.

Increasing Dengue Burden and Severe Dengue Risk in Bangladesh: An Overview.

Dengue is a prevalent and rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease affecting humans. The geographic range of dengue is expanding, and much like in many other tropical regions of the world, dengue has become a major public health issue in Bangladesh. Until a large epidemic dengue outbreak in 2000, sporadic outbreaks have occurred in Bangladesh since 1964.

Novel cytochrome P450 1 (CYP1) genes in tree shrews are expressed and encode functional drug-metabolizing enzymes.

Tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) are a non-rodent primate-like species sometimes used for biomedical research involving hepatitis virus infections and toxicology. Genome analysis has indicated similarities between tree shrews and humans in the numbers of cytochromes P450 (P450 or CYP), which constitute a family of important drug-metabolizing enzymes; however, P450s have not been fully investigated in tree shrews. In this study, we identified CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, and CYP1D1 cDNAs from tree shrew liver and compared their characteristics with dog, pig, and human CYP1As.

Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Acute Viral Hepatitis in Bangladesh: An Overview.

Viral infections by hepatotropic viruses can cause both acute and chronic infections in the liver, resulting in morbidity and mortality in humans. Hepatotropic viruses, including hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV), are the major pathogens that cause acute and chronic infections in humans. Although all of these viruses can cause acute hepatitis in humans, HAV and HEV are the predominant causative agents in Bangladesh, where the occurrence is sporadic throughout the year.